Mckinley Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Mckinley is used for both girls and boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
Mckinley meaning and origin
Mckinley means “son of Finlay” or “son of the fair hero” and derives from the Gaelic elements “Mac” meaning “son” and “Fhionnlaigh” meaning “fair hero.”.
Origin: McKinley is commonly associated with Scottish and Irish origins, deriving from a Gaelic patronymic naming tradition.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation: mick-KIN-lee
Syllables: 3
History of the name
- History
- The name McKinley has been used historically as a family name in Scottish and Irish genealogies.
Mckinley popularity by year
| Year | Usage category | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 393 | #712 |
| 2025 | Boys | 30 | #3,658 |
| 2024 | Girls | 381 | #740 |
| 2024 | Boys | 24 | #4,321 |
| 2023 | Girls | 461 | #635 |
| 2023 | Boys | 45 | #2,805 |
| 2022 | Girls | 453 | #651 |
| 2022 | Boys | 49 | #2,675 |
| 2021 | Girls | 563 | #543 |
| 2021 | Boys | 62 | #2,253 |
| 2020 | Girls | 536 | #554 |
| 2020 | Boys | 63 | #2,190 |
| 2019 | Girls | 615 | #512 |
| 2019 | Boys | 67 | #2,129 |
| 2018 | Girls | 718 | #447 |
| 2018 | Boys | 52 | #2,472 |
| 2017 | Girls | 730 | #437 |
| 2017 | Boys | 68 | #2,049 |
| 2016 | Girls | 759 | #428 |
| 2016 | Boys | 68 | #2,066 |
| 2015 | Girls | 860 | #379 |
| 2015 | Boys | 73 | #1,983 |
| 2014 | Girls | 862 | #379 |
| 2014 | Boys | 72 | #1,979 |
Ranks compare names only within the same year and source category. Birth totals are historical records, not an exact count of living people.
Peak recorded years
These are the years with the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category, ordered from the largest total downward.
2014 · Girls
862 recorded births and rank #379.
2015 · Girls
860 recorded births and rank #379.
2013 · Girls
792 recorded births and rank #391.
2016 · Girls
759 recorded births and rank #428.
Where Mckinley ranked highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Highest state rankings for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded births |
|---|---|---|
| ID | #221 | 10 |
| OR | #320 | 11 |
| IA | #354 | 9 |
| AR | #376 | 8 |
| MN | #377 | 14 |
| MS | #384 | 7 |
| NE | #396 | 5 |
| NC | #405 | 27 |